Cindrich & Company
Encyclopedia
Cindrich & Company is an international company in sports and entertainment, expert witness services, mediation, and arbitration, founded in 1981 by former NFL player, long-time NFL agent and licensed attorney Ralph Cindrich
. With more than 30 years of experience in representation and negotiations, Cindrich & Company provides a multitude of services throughout sports and entertainment. Headed by Cindrich, the company acts as lead negotiator and counsel on the buying and selling of sports businesses and agencies. As an agent
, Cindrich represents professional athletes and acts as consultant to third parties. Cindrich also provides testimony as an expert witness in sports related litigation and can serve as a neutral third party mediator and/or arbitrator. Finally, Cindrich—as the face of Cindrich & Co.—teaches sports law classes, lectures on sports law matters and provides informed and expert opinions to the media on all sports related matters.
, in Houston. While still a member of the Oilers, teammates of Cindrich approached him with legal questions, mostly relating to their NFL contracts and/or marketing agreements. Cindrich occasionally took those “real world” issues into his law classes and found answers or resolutions, which he then relayed to his teammates.
In 1977—while still in law school—Cindrich received his first exposure in marketing and law by reviewing contracts or issues of former teammates. His first football client was a former teammate at the University of Pittsburgh
named Glenn Hyde
. Hyde had played professional football in all three professional leagues, as a left guard
for the Chicago Fire (1974–1975) and the Charlotte Hornets
(1975) of the World Football League
, the Chicago Blitz
of the United States Football League
(1984) and the Denver Broncos
, Baltimore Colts
, Seattle Seahawks
and Kansas City Chiefs
of the National Football League
(1976–1982, 1985–1987). Cindrich and Hyde had been teammates at the University of Pittsburgh.
Upon graduation (and after his retirement from football), Cindrich practiced criminal and business law in Texas before developing a specialty in sports management. He founded Athletes Of America Inc., a sports management firm, based in Houston in 1978. Over the next few years, Cindrich would represent a handful of players who had made the transition from college to the NFL, including several from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Arkansas
.
in the 11th round of the 1978 NFL Draft
. But during a practice session at Three Rivers Stadium
in May, just weeks after he had been drafted, Brzoza injured his thumb. (It was later revealed that this practice session violated NFL off-season regulations against conducting practices with shoulder pads. As penalty, the Steelers forfeited their third round draft choice in the 1979 draft.)
Because of the injured thumb, Brzoza was forced to switch from center
to guard
and the Steelers subsequently released Brzoza on August 7, 1978, shortly after training camp began. On behalf of his client, Cindrich argued that the injured thumb—as a result of the Steelers violation—kept Brzoza from entering camp at full health and thus was a factor in his being cut from the team.
In September, Cindrich told reporters:
Cindrich threatened to sue for damages and after months of negotiating—and one-on-one meeting between Cindrich and Steelers owner Art Rooney
—the two sides reached a settlement in early March 1979:
, the offensive tackle from, the University of Pittsburgh who the Washington Redskins
selected May with their first round pick (20th overall) in the 1981 NFL Draft
. After tough negotiations that summer with the Redskins General Manager Bobby Bethard, May signed with the team in late July putting to rest rumors that he would bolt to the Canadian Football League. Cindrich continues to represent May in all his television contracts.
By the 1985 NFL Draft
, Cindrich & Company would represent two top prospects: Al Toon
from the University of Wisconsin and Bill Fralic
from the University of Pittsburgh
. During ESPN
’s televised coverage of the draft, Mel Kiper stated:
Cindrich told the press that Fralic would not want to play for the Minnesota Vikings
, who held the second overall pick, because of the team’s negotiating history. On Draft Day, the Vikings traded their pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a 1st and 3rd round selection. The Atlanta Falcons
then selected Fralic, who signed the most lucrative contract for any lineman in the draft, including the top overall pick, Buffalo’s Bruce Smith. The Atlanta Journal & Atlanta Constitution reported that:
The New York Jets
selected Toon with the 10th overall pick. He held out, and still without a contract by late August, Cindrich publicly suggested that the Jets trade Toon. But by Week 2 of the regular season (after New York lost 31-0 to the Los Angeles Raiders), Toon signed a deal reportedly worth $1.6 million over five years, including a signing bonus worth $475,000. The deal paid him more money than any other receiver drafted in 1985, including the San Francisco 49ers first round selection, Jerry Rice
.
In the 1988 NFL draft
, Cindrich represented University of Wisconsin Offensive Tackle Paul Gruber
, who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
selected Gruber with the 4th overall pick in the draft. Gruber missed four weeks of training camp but signed a five year, $3.8 million deal with the team in early August. That month, The Sporting News
declared Cindrich’s negotiations “the most significant contract for any rookie this year” and “the best contract ever signed by an offensive lineman and likely will start a new salary spiral at the position.”
The next year, Cindrich & Company helped facilitate the now famous "Herschel Walker trade
" between the Dallas Cowboys
and Minnesota Vikings. As part of his new contract with the Vikings, Walker received $1.25 million in cash and other considerations (including a Mercedes-Benz
) and more than doubled his previous salary. Cindrich had now negotiated the second and third most lucrative contracts in the NFL. He also achieved considerable salary raises for Pro Bowlers John Offerdahl
, linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills Shane Conlan
(linebacker), Will Wolford
(offensive tackle), and Kent Hull (center).
, Washington Redskins Pro Bowl wide receiver Gary Clark
, Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl center Mark Stepnoski
. In May 1993, just as the NFL Free Agency boom began, USA Today
called Cindrich “the undisputed free agent champ.”
Multi-million dollar contracts continued throughout the decade. Steelers perennial Pro Bowl center Dermontti Dawson
, New York Giants
running back Rodney Hampton
, quarterbacks Gus Frerotte
and Jeff Blake
, were a few of Cindrich & Company's clients. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, he represented several of the NFL’s top centers: Dawson, Stepnoski, Hull, Miami Dolphin Tim Ruddy
, Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jeff Christy
, Baltimore Raven Mike Flynn and Indianapolis Colt Jeff Saturday
, and New Orleans Saint LeCharles Bentley
.
running Back Beanie Wells, Indianapolis Colts
All Pro Center Jeff Saturday
, and Steelers linebacker James Farrior
. Cindrich & Company has also been involved in expanding the field of sports law, developing a study abroad sports law class for students. Cindrich will teach in coordination with the South Texas College of Law during the summer of 2010 in Florence, Italy. He is also planning a legal education sports law class for lawyers at the same time and location.
before the 1986 NFL Draft
. The Buffalo Bills selected Wolford with the 20th overall pick and Cindrich negotiated a salary equal to several players drafted in the top 10. In 1993, Cindrich orchestrated Wolford’s free agent signing with Indianapolis, where his contract was worth $7.65 million over three year. Wolford became the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL. When that contract expired in 1995, Wolford signed a four-year, $10 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Michael Lewis
’ book, The Blind Side
, which in 2009 was made into a major motion picture starring Sandra Bullock, mentions Wolford’s landmark contract with the Indianapolis Colts. As the man who brokered the deal, Cindrich was also mentioned:
Ralph Cindrich
Ralph Edward Cindrich is a sports agent and former NFL player. A linebacker for the New England Patriots , the Houston Oilers and the Denver Broncos , Cindrich graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1972 and South Texas College of Law in 1978...
. With more than 30 years of experience in representation and negotiations, Cindrich & Company provides a multitude of services throughout sports and entertainment. Headed by Cindrich, the company acts as lead negotiator and counsel on the buying and selling of sports businesses and agencies. As an agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
, Cindrich represents professional athletes and acts as consultant to third parties. Cindrich also provides testimony as an expert witness in sports related litigation and can serve as a neutral third party mediator and/or arbitrator. Finally, Cindrich—as the face of Cindrich & Co.—teaches sports law classes, lectures on sports law matters and provides informed and expert opinions to the media on all sports related matters.
Early representation
As a linebacker for the Houston Oilers in 1975, Cindrich enrolled in law school at nearby South Texas College of LawSouth Texas College of Law
South Texas College of Law is a private American Bar Association accredited law school and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools...
, in Houston. While still a member of the Oilers, teammates of Cindrich approached him with legal questions, mostly relating to their NFL contracts and/or marketing agreements. Cindrich occasionally took those “real world” issues into his law classes and found answers or resolutions, which he then relayed to his teammates.
In 1977—while still in law school—Cindrich received his first exposure in marketing and law by reviewing contracts or issues of former teammates. His first football client was a former teammate at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
named Glenn Hyde
Glenn Hyde
Glenn Thatcher Hyde is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League . He played ten seasons in the NFL, mainly for the Denver Broncos...
. Hyde had played professional football in all three professional leagues, as a left guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
for the Chicago Fire (1974–1975) and the Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (WFL)
The Charlotte Hornets were an American football team in the short-lived World Football League. They were relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, from New York City in the middle of the 1974 season.-History:...
(1975) of the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
, the Chicago Blitz
Chicago Blitz
The Chicago Blitz were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.- Team history :...
of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
(1984) and the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(1976–1982, 1985–1987). Cindrich and Hyde had been teammates at the University of Pittsburgh.
Upon graduation (and after his retirement from football), Cindrich practiced criminal and business law in Texas before developing a specialty in sports management. He founded Athletes Of America Inc., a sports management firm, based in Houston in 1978. Over the next few years, Cindrich would represent a handful of players who had made the transition from college to the NFL, including several from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
.
Tom Brzoza case
In addition to negotiating marketing deals and contracts for players, Cindrich applied his legal expertise to an important NFL case when fellow Western Pennsylvania native Tom Brzoza approached Cindrich for legal counsel in the fall of 1978. Brzoza, an All-American center at the University of Pittsburgh, had been selected by his hometown Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 11th round of the 1978 NFL Draft
1978 NFL Draft
The 1978 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978...
. But during a practice session at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
in May, just weeks after he had been drafted, Brzoza injured his thumb. (It was later revealed that this practice session violated NFL off-season regulations against conducting practices with shoulder pads. As penalty, the Steelers forfeited their third round draft choice in the 1979 draft.)
Because of the injured thumb, Brzoza was forced to switch from center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
to guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and the Steelers subsequently released Brzoza on August 7, 1978, shortly after training camp began. On behalf of his client, Cindrich argued that the injured thumb—as a result of the Steelers violation—kept Brzoza from entering camp at full health and thus was a factor in his being cut from the team.
In September, Cindrich told reporters:
“We request that Tom be paid his salary because he was denied an opportunity to practice his trade because [he] was injured in an illegal camp of the Steelers, that was in violation of the NFL Constitution.”
Cindrich threatened to sue for damages and after months of negotiating—and one-on-one meeting between Cindrich and Steelers owner Art Rooney
Art Rooney
Arthur Joseph "Art" Rooney, Sr. , often referred to as "The Chief", was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football franchise in the National Football League.-Family history:...
—the two sides reached a settlement in early March 1979:
“We’re still friends,” Cindrich told reporters. “The Steelers are the Cadillac of the NFL. We left with a great deal of respect for them. They don’t give anything away, but they’re fair. They’re gentleman. Both sides thought the settlement was extremely fair. Both sides are fortunate the way it worked out.”
Creation of Cindrich & Company
In 1981 Cindrich returned to his native Western Pennsylvania and brought his management firm (now renamed Cindrich & Company) with him. That same year, Cindrich landed his first big-name client, Mark MayMark May
Mark Eric May is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.-Football career:...
, the offensive tackle from, the University of Pittsburgh who the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
selected May with their first round pick (20th overall) in the 1981 NFL Draft
1981 NFL Draft
The 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981...
. After tough negotiations that summer with the Redskins General Manager Bobby Bethard, May signed with the team in late July putting to rest rumors that he would bolt to the Canadian Football League. Cindrich continues to represent May in all his television contracts.
By the 1985 NFL Draft
1985 NFL Draft
The 1985 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 30 and May 1, 1985...
, Cindrich & Company would represent two top prospects: Al Toon
Al Toon
Albert Lee Toon, Jr. is a former professional American football player. He was selected by the New York Jets in the 1st round of the 1985 NFL Draft...
from the University of Wisconsin and Bill Fralic
Bill Fralic
William P. Fralic, Jr. is a former professional American football offensive guard in the NFL.-Early years:...
from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. During ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
’s televised coverage of the draft, Mel Kiper stated:
“We’ll see what an impact Ralph Cindrich has on this draft right away. I think Minnesota wanted (Bill) Fralic. I know, you talk about Indianapolis, they would have taken Al Toon but he (Cindrich) wrote a letter to Irsay stating that he didn’t want Toon to play with the Colts. Same with Minnesota. So we’ll see if those teams shy away from Fralic and Toon. We will see if Cindrich has a direct impact on the draft.”
Cindrich told the press that Fralic would not want to play for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, who held the second overall pick, because of the team’s negotiating history. On Draft Day, the Vikings traded their pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a 1st and 3rd round selection. The Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
then selected Fralic, who signed the most lucrative contract for any lineman in the draft, including the top overall pick, Buffalo’s Bruce Smith. The Atlanta Journal & Atlanta Constitution reported that:
“Fralic’s contract is so lucrative that it has caused slowdown in the next eleven picks below him in the first round of the draft. No other Number 1 has such an annuity package nor a present value this high. Defensive end Bruce Smith, the draft’s No. 1 pick, signed a $2.8 Million contract for the Buffalo Bills, which is worth $2.1 million in present value. When Fralic signed Monday and first reports of the numbers leaked out, agent Joe Courrege immediately upped the demand for Texas A&M defensive end Ray Childress, the draft’s No. 3 selection.”
The New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected Toon with the 10th overall pick. He held out, and still without a contract by late August, Cindrich publicly suggested that the Jets trade Toon. But by Week 2 of the regular season (after New York lost 31-0 to the Los Angeles Raiders), Toon signed a deal reportedly worth $1.6 million over five years, including a signing bonus worth $475,000. The deal paid him more money than any other receiver drafted in 1985, including the San Francisco 49ers first round selection, Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
.
In the 1988 NFL draft
1988 NFL Draft
The 1988 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 1988. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
, Cindrich represented University of Wisconsin Offensive Tackle Paul Gruber
Paul Gruber
Paul Blake Gruber is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth overall in the 1988 NFL Draft...
, who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
selected Gruber with the 4th overall pick in the draft. Gruber missed four weeks of training camp but signed a five year, $3.8 million deal with the team in early August. That month, The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
declared Cindrich’s negotiations “the most significant contract for any rookie this year” and “the best contract ever signed by an offensive lineman and likely will start a new salary spiral at the position.”
The next year, Cindrich & Company helped facilitate the now famous "Herschel Walker trade
Herschel Walker trade
The Herschel Walker trade, also known as "The Great Train Robbery", was the largest player trade in the history of the National Football League. It involved 18 players and draft picks...
" between the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Minnesota Vikings. As part of his new contract with the Vikings, Walker received $1.25 million in cash and other considerations (including a Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
) and more than doubled his previous salary. Cindrich had now negotiated the second and third most lucrative contracts in the NFL. He also achieved considerable salary raises for Pro Bowlers John Offerdahl
John Offerdahl
John Offerdahl is an American former professional football player who played his entire eight year career with the Miami Dolphins from 1986 to 1993...
, linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills Shane Conlan
Shane Conlan
Shane Patrick Conlan is a former professional American football player. He played college football at Penn State University, where he won two national championships...
(linebacker), Will Wolford
Will Wolford
William Charles Wolford is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers....
(offensive tackle), and Kent Hull (center).
The 1990s
Cindrich & Company would go on to represent Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl tight end Eric GreenEric Green (tight end)
Bernard Eric Green , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1st round of the 1990 NFL Draft...
, Washington Redskins Pro Bowl wide receiver Gary Clark
Gary Clark
Gary C. Clark is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Phoenix Cardinals and Miami Dolphins .-Early life:...
, Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl center Mark Stepnoski
Mark Stepnoski
Mark Matthew Stepnoski is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He attended Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went on to star at the University of Pittsburgh....
. In May 1993, just as the NFL Free Agency boom began, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
called Cindrich “the undisputed free agent champ.”
Multi-million dollar contracts continued throughout the decade. Steelers perennial Pro Bowl center Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Farra Dawson is a former American football center in the National Football League. He played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers....
, New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
running back Rodney Hampton
Rodney Hampton
Rodney Craig Hampton born April 3, 1969 in Houston, Texas, is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 215 lbs. running back from the University of Georgia by way of Kashmere High School in...
, quarterbacks Gus Frerotte
Gus Frerotte
Gustave Joseph "Gus" Frerotte is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tulsa....
and Jeff Blake
Jeff Blake
Jeff Bertrand Coleman Blake is a retired American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. Although he finished his career with the Chicago Bears, he was formerly a quarterback for the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona...
, were a few of Cindrich & Company's clients. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, he represented several of the NFL’s top centers: Dawson, Stepnoski, Hull, Miami Dolphin Tim Ruddy
Tim Ruddy
Tim Ruddy but lived in Dunmore, Pennsylvania from his childhood all the way through high school...
, Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jeff Christy
Jeff Christy
Jeffrey Allen Christy was an American football center for the Arizona Cardinals, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He now helps coach for the Freeport Senior High School football team.-Early life:...
, Baltimore Raven Mike Flynn and Indianapolis Colt Jeff Saturday
Jeff Saturday
Jeffrey Bryant Saturday is an American football center for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at North Carolina. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the National Football League Players' Association.-Early years:Saturday attended...
, and New Orleans Saint LeCharles Bentley
LeCharles Bentley
LeCharles Vernon Bentley is a retired American football center of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.A two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Saints, Bentley was also a member of...
.
The 2000s to today
Cindrich & Company was sold to DeBartolo Sports, the agency owned by former NFL owner Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. and Cindrich serves as a consultant to DeBartolo. Nevertheless, he continues to negotiate contracts—through Cindrich & Company—for such notable players as Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
running Back Beanie Wells, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
All Pro Center Jeff Saturday
Jeff Saturday
Jeffrey Bryant Saturday is an American football center for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at North Carolina. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the National Football League Players' Association.-Early years:Saturday attended...
, and Steelers linebacker James Farrior
James Farrior
James Alfred Farrior is an American football player who currently plays as an inside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Virginia, and played with the New York Jets from 1997 to 2001.-Early years:Farrior was born...
. Cindrich & Company has also been involved in expanding the field of sports law, developing a study abroad sports law class for students. Cindrich will teach in coordination with the South Texas College of Law during the summer of 2010 in Florence, Italy. He is also planning a legal education sports law class for lawyers at the same time and location.
The Blind Side
Cindrich & Company represented offensive tackle Will WolfordWill Wolford
William Charles Wolford is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers....
before the 1986 NFL Draft
1986 NFL Draft
The 1986 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1986...
. The Buffalo Bills selected Wolford with the 20th overall pick and Cindrich negotiated a salary equal to several players drafted in the top 10. In 1993, Cindrich orchestrated Wolford’s free agent signing with Indianapolis, where his contract was worth $7.65 million over three year. Wolford became the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL. When that contract expired in 1995, Wolford signed a four-year, $10 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis (author)
Michael Lewis is an American non-fiction author and financial journalist. His bestselling books include The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Panic and Home Game: An...
’ book, The Blind Side
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game is a book by Michael Lewis released in 2006 about American football.-Plot:It features two dominant storylines...
, which in 2009 was made into a major motion picture starring Sandra Bullock, mentions Wolford’s landmark contract with the Indianapolis Colts. As the man who brokered the deal, Cindrich was also mentioned:
Wolford’s agent, Ralph Cindrich, later said that at least four other teams had been willing to match the Colts’ offer. What had set the Colts apart from the other bidders was a clause they agreed to insert into Wolford’s new contract. It guaranteed that Will Wolford, left tackle, would remain the highest paid player on the Colts’ offense for as long as he played on it. Better paid than the Colts’ running backs, the Colts’ wide receivers, or any of the other acknowledged stars. Even if the Colts went out and got themselves the NFL’s most expensive quarterback, Wolford’s salary would rise to eclipse his, too. “I thought linemen would get a little more money from free agency,” said Wolford later. “But I didn’t think that would happen. I was numb.”
…The NFL didn’t like the idea of any player having a clause in his contract guaranteeing him more money than his teammates, and it made noises about voiding the deal. That’s when Ralph Cindrich went on the warpath. He asked, pointedly, if the league would have the same reservations if the clause had been in some quarterback’s contract. He accused the league, in the pages of the New York Times, of “discrimination against offensive linemen.” And the NFL let the deal slide, but only after saying no such deal would be permitted in the future. “There’s a mentality about linemen that goes back to high school,” said Cindrich. “When you picked your football team, these were the last guys picked.”
External links
- Cindrich.com
- Florence, Italy - South Texas College of Law: http://www.stcl.edu/study-abroad/florence.htm